Regression (Bruises fade, and with them so do the memories)
by isthismistersmolderholder
Summary: Jemma's bitten by an alien fish and suddenly she's sixteen years old and bruised all over. Skye isn't sure what to make of the whole thing. TW: Abuse, TW: eating disorder.
1. Chapter 1

She's starting to think she's a magnet for alien viruses.

The team had been called out to a small village near the Amazon, where Fitz had jerked around at any noise or feeling, insisting that he was not ready to host a botfly, or be killed by some kind of wandering beast. Ward had rolled his eyes while Skye followed Fitz paranoid lead, despite putting on a confidant front and making tentative jokes. Its strange really, that out of everything that happened, that's what stands out to Jemma, when she thinks back on the mission, searching for what went wrong.

They'd finally arrived at their destination only to be informed that no, there was not in fact, any alien technology about. Jemma had been quite disapointed, really. She'd been looking forward to spending some quality mission time with Skye, especially since she had no clue how to approach the brunette in any other setting. It was no secret that Jemma Simmons was about as much a social butterfly as a hermit.

She didn't understand at first why she was so intrigued by the newcomer. She'd excused it for simple curiosity as to why Coulson would invite a civilian onto the team, but as her feelings and her denial grew, she found it harder to stop thinking about her, and it was beginning to interfere with her work. If there was one thing Jemma couldn't stand, it was not performing at 100%. That was something that had been drilled into her from a very young age, so Skye was really starting to irk the biochemist.

She'd very much like to blame Skye for her mistake. After all, as she was collecting samples from a nearby stream, Skye had laughed at something Coulson had said, and god, she had such a lovely laugh. Jemma had looked up to meet Skye's eyes when something had caught on her hand, but when she looked back down with a jerk and a frown, there'd been no sign of anything. Convinced she'd imagined it, she had finished collecting her samples and they'd headed back to the bus. After that, the last two days were completely blank.

…

Fitz had gotten up earlier than usual, a strange feeling lingering in his gut. Something was off, he could feel it, and absently he searched for any bumps on his skin as he poured his coffee, terrified that he'd been right to worry yesterday about being implanted with a botfly.

"Morning," Skye grumbled from the doorway, startling Fitz into jumping, coffee sloshing from his mug onto his hand, scalding him.

"A little warning woulda' been nice," he pouted mopping up the drink with a handkerchief.

"I said morning," Skye shrugged, still half asleep. "Where's Simmons at? She's usually in here like, right now." The girl looked exhausted and the pieces slid together in Fitz's head until he grinned and shook his head in amusement. Skye's only up this early to catch Jemma. Speaking of Jemma, Skye was right, where was she?

"That's a good question," he frowned, rubbing the back of his neck.

"What's a good question?" Ward had entered the kitchen silently, as always, and was already headed for the coffee.

"Simmons isn't up." Skye almost seemed to be pouting. "I guess its a good thing, she'll be well rested for all the 'bad girl shenanigans' I've got planned for today."

"What does that even mean?" Ward raised an eyebrow and sipped his coffee, leaning against the counter. "Besides, you're training with me in an hour."

Skye's face fell and she groaned. "Oh come on, do I ever get a break?"

"Not if you want to be an agent."

Fitz had tuned them out minutes ago, instead focusing on the girl he could see through the glass wall that separated the kitchen from the hall. The very scared girl, who was covered in bruises and looked shockingly identical to Simmons, but looked to be only fifteen or sixteen. He remembered this girl.

She turned her eyes on him, and vague recognition shone in them, and she took a few hesitant steps forward until she was stood I'm the doorway.

"Leo?"

Skye and Ward fell silent, staring at the teenaged Jemma in shock. Fitz had to force himself to move.

"Jemma, what's the last thing you remember?" He asked urgently, trying hard to ignore the bruises, but it was so hard when they looked so fresh.

"I just…you were walking me home…did you…?" She looked disoriented and uncomfortable, glancing at the other two in the room, her gaze lingering on Skye for a moment, only looking away when she realized she'd been staring, a blush rising across her cheeks. "Where ah, where am I?"

"You're on the bus. Uh…you must have been affected by something. You're meant to be twenty five now, Jem. Do you remember anything at all about this place? SHIELD?"

Jemma frowned, and shook her head. "No…that's fascinating though. To think of something that could revert ones age…well, it's brilliant!"

Ward blinked. "I'm getting Coulson." He got to his feet, cautiously sidestepping the now deep in thought Simmons.

"I'm just gonna sit here and watch the show," Skye grinned, leaning forward and trying to catch the teens eyes, having caught her earlier blush.

"Its not brilliant, Jem. Look at yourself." Fitz had completely ignored his friends, too concerned about his other half, who he knew for certain had been quite off the rails at this age.

Jemma glanced at herself in the glass and flinched. "Oh. I see." She took in the bruises and then turned an unnaturally bright smile back on Fitz and Skye. "I fell down the stairs." She aimed this both at Skye and Fitz, tilting her head and uncomfortably shifting her weight from one foot to the other.

Skye had grown up in foster care, and heard that lie too many times to count. Her eyes widened in concern for Jemma, wanting to hug her but knowing that she was a stranger to her. "I'm sure." She muttered, before getting to her feet and coming to stand in front of the smaller girl. "I'm Skye."

Jemma shied away a little, a pinker blush threatening to make an appearance as she took in the sight of the brunette. She was beautiful. And, Jemma reminded herself, way out of her league. "Jemma."

"I know." Skye smiled, reaching out and gently touching Jemma's shoulder, as though she was trying to reassure her. Jemma jumped a little at the contact and Skye's smile dropped and was replaced with a frown. "That is not okay, Simmons."

Jemma winced and looked at her feet, "I'm sorry." It sounded rehearsed, emotionless, dead. Skye thought she might kick something in frustration. That's not at all what she meant, she hadn't meant to upset her.

"No, no I mean-"

"No matter what you say, she's going to get upset." Fitz said softly, defeated, as if he'd already been through this, which Skye realised with a frown, that he had.

"She's safe here, though. You're safe Simmons, no one is going to hurt you."

Fitz watched curiously as Jemma lifted her head to look at Skye, something akin to hope shining in them. That certainly wasn't the reaction he'd been expecting. An accusation perhaps, playing dumb maybe, but instead Jemma was just searching Skye's face for any trace of a lie. It was almost intimate and he couldn't help but look away.

The moment was shattered as three agents strode in. Coulson eyed Jemma incredulously, before forcing himself not to groan at the situation. He had read Jemma's file when selecting her for the team, so he was well aware of her rather abusive past, and he'd offered her a chance to talk if she ever wanted to, but she always turned him down. Now he was faced with the reality of it and it wasn't pretty. She looked like she'd been dunked I'm purple and blue paint, the bruises covered most of her visible skin. Agent May gave her a quick once over, and for the first time, not that Jemma would remember, she gave her a gentle smile.

"Ward told us what happened. Do you think she'll be of use during this particular…setback?" Coulson aimed his question at Fitz, who shook his head in response.

"She's brilliant, but the body she's in now hasn't eaten in days and she's still in high school." He sighed, leaning against the counter. He hoped she didn't stay like this for long, getting her to eat would be hell.

Jemma seemed to find her voice because she crossed her arms and glared between the two men. "I'm right here."

Couslon's gaze softened, "I know. That was very rude of me. I'm Agent Coulson, Jemma."


	2. Chapter 2

She was picking at a sandwich that had been offered to her and reading her own diary when Agent Coulson walked in. She was ecstatic that it seemed she'd grown to be very clever. Was that Immodest to think? Probably. Her theories were brilliant, her research fascinating, but what really piqued her interest was the amount of space separated from her daily musings to gush about Skye. 'She's just lovely, she really is.', 'How does she get her hair to do that? Its so beautiful.', 'She said she likes my science talk, Fitz was offended on my behalf but she was looking at me with those eyes. I think something is wrong with me. Surely I don't feel for her….'

"Impressed?" Coulson asked, sliding into the seat on the other side of the counter and sliding the plate closer to her. "You've spent a long time reading, eat."

Jemma winced, and then forced a smile. "Oh well, you see I-"

"No more excuses, Simmons." Coulson's penetrating gaze was focused on her, and Jemma squirmed in her seat a little. "I'm not moving until you've finished that sandwich."

No, that wouldn't do at all. She couldn't very well pick it to pieces and then throw it away if she was being intensely observed by this man who honestly unnerved her very much. Jemma took a deep, shaky breath, and decided that since she was sure Fitz was working on a cure downstairs with her blood samples and she'd be fixed soon enough, that she may as well be honest. "I'm not sure I can do that," She admitted, her cheeks already heated. "I mean, according to my diary, I still have some trouble at times now. I'm apparently even more secretive In ten years."

Coulson took a moment to ansorb the information, before sighing and reaching out, grabbing the bony fingers and holding tight. "I know. I've seen you hesitate before eating certain things, but I also know that you've overcome it enough to realise you need to eat, you need to live, and Simmons, we care about you. You have people who would hate to lose you, and one of them is pacing in the lounge and worrying herself over the fact that you haven't even taken a single bite. Now, I'm not sure if you wrote about us in there, but if you did, then you know how you feel about every one of us, including Skye. That's all i'm going to say." He gave her a tight lipped smile, squeezed her hand one last time and then pulled away. "Just think about it, Jemma."

It took her forty five minutes, but she got half of it down.

…

Skye was skirting around her. She could tell because every time she came across the gorgeous brunette, she'd dissapear around a corner, or behind a door, or in one of the more ridiculous cases, behind a shelf. It was getting old fast, and Jemma found she craved the other girl's presence. It didn't help that Fitz had locked the lab doors and wouldn't let her in, proclaiming that she was too young and she could mess something up. She acted like that hadn't hurt, coming from her best friend. Just yesterday they'd been the same age and joking around together. Now she was alone.

It was when Skye fell down the stairs trying to get away from her that drove Jemma over the edge. "Oh for heaven's sake, will you stop that?!"

"Stop what? I'm not doing anything. Nope, nothing at all, have you seen Ward? I think we have a session. Right now." Skye babbled, looking around for an exit of any kind. Finding none, she sighed and met Jemma's eyes. "I'm sorry, Jem. It's just…every time I see you, I want to ask about," She waved her hand awkwardly at Jemma's face and arms, indicating the bruises "All of this, and god I don't want you to hate me when you're older you and you find out I took advantage of the situation." She chewed her lip, running a hand through her hair. Her silky, beautiful hair. Jemma wondered if it felt as soft as it looked. No, focus.

"I um, I read my diary, Skye. I've considered telling you anyway, I usually backed out because well…my life isn't-wasnt, pretty. I don't want your pity, god all I want is-" she stopped herself, mentally cursing herself for almost telling her. She'd always said what was on her mind, unless it was related to food or her mother. "Anyway, things are better now. She's, she's going to therapy, she's trying to change." It had shocked her when she'd read that particular entry, marked eight years ago, in one of her earlier diaries. She'd mainly skimmed the first three, only interested in the more recent events.

"She?" Skye seemed a little surprised, and very worried. "You mean, your mom…?" She looked sick, her eyebrows knitted together and her fists clenched and unclenched. "I'm so sorry Jemma," she reached out but again Jemma flinched away, and Skye realised suddenly why she shied away from women but didn't have a problem with any of the men on the team.

"I'm sorry too." Jemma murmered, her eyes on the floor, ashamed with herself for not being able to let Skye close. She rubbed her upper arms, an old habit, and glanced up to gage the brunette's reaction.

"It's okay. I understand, Jem." She tried to give her a reassuring smile. It almost felt like a physical ache, not being able to touch Jemma. Not being able to really comfort her. She felt completely helpless, moreso than when Jemma had contracted the chitauri virus.

"If it helps, I'm quite besotted with you." Jemma giggled nervously. She'd intended to say something more platonic, but the anxiety that the situation had forced her to think of something more striking to slice the tension. With an internal groan, she realised that was not the right thing to say, oh how embarrassed she would be later. If she remembered this, which she certainly hoped she wouldn't.

"Sorry, what did you say?" Skye was gaping at her, completely shell shocked. Jemma was just as horrified, really. What had she done? Future Jemma would strangle her, if it weren't for the massive disruption in the space time continuum that that would cause.

"What was that, Fitz?!" Jemma called loudly, leaving the bottom of the staircase to hurry to the glass doors, leaving the stunned Skye behind.

"I didn't say anything, Jem." He'd raised an eyebrow at her, and she noticed the cultures he was handling.

"What are those for?" She asked curiously, her intrigue overwhelming her embarrassment.

He grinned that blinding Leo Fitz grin. "These are the samples you collected from a river yesterday, I think that's where you got infected or affected, something like that."

"I collected them? Can I have a look?" She asked eagerly, rocking on her heels in excitement. "Oh please Fitz, I won't break anything, I swear!"

He caved in moments, rolling his eyes at her as he pushed the button for the doors, "She left a moment ago anyway." He smirked, directing her to the microscope with a soft chuckle. Her face flushed, and she reached out and swatted him.

"Oh, hush."

She spent the rest of the time observing him as he slowly inched closer to the cure, occasionally making suggestions that he would either gently dismiss or nod encouragingly. She felt rather like a child comparatively to this exceedingly clever fitz, who was for once not her equal, but her better. It upset her, not that she'd admit it.

"I believe it was an alien species of fish, there are agents hunting for it back in that awful botfly breeding ground, but all I need to do is examine the platelets in your blood, and develop an anti-serum from that. I still haven't figured out how the nip from the fish caused your age to physically change, but there's a thousand ways it could have caused your mental regression. my personal favourite would be amnesia."

"Yes, well try not to sound so bloody cheerful, Leo."

He laughed at some inside joke she must have missed, and she sighed and sat back in her seat, prepared for a long night.


End file.
